Updated on
February 20, 2023
This list of Lenten art, music, devotions, liturgies, books, and sermons will help you plan worship for Lent and includes resources for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday.

Worship During Lent

Lent invites us to make our hearts ready for remembering Jesus’ passion and celebrating Jesus’ resurrection. . . As a period of preparation, Lent has historically included the instruction of persons for baptism and profession of faith on Easter Sunday; the calling back of those who have become estranged from the church; and efforts by all Christians to deepen their piety, devotion, and readiness to mark the death and resurrection of their Savior. As such, the primary focus of the season is to explore and deepen a “baptismal spirituality” that centers on our union with Christ rather than to function only as an extended meditation on Christ’s suffering and death. The traditional color for the season is purple.
(from the Worship Sourcebook Second Edition, p.557-558)

The Christian year centers on the major events of salvation history, celebrating Jesus’ birth, death, resurrection, and the sending of the Holy Spirit. Lent refers to the forty days leading up to Easter. The Lenten season is set aside for self-examination, spiritual renewal, and growth. In many churches, it is seen as a time for fasting and abstinence, for alms-giving and acts of mercy, for repentance and prayer.

Planning Resources and Services for Lent

Planning Resources and Services for Holy Week

Song Resources

Visual Arts Resources

First United Methodist Church - Lent Configuration

At First United Methodist Church, the cross on the left is installed in the back of the sanctuary on Ash Wednesday and then is moved further forward each week of Lent. (photo © 2010, Steve Huyser Honig)

Meditations and Devotions

Children's Books

Sunday MorningSunday Morning, Gail Ramshaw (Liturgy Training Publications)

ConfessionConfession, Joni Walker (Concordia Publishing)
 
The Lord's Prayer

The Lord's Prayer, Tim Ladwig (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
 

 

Featured Resources

The Worship Sourcebook

  • Parts I through N of The Worship Sourcebook Second Edition, pp. 547-660, offer sample prayers and other worship resources for each act of worship during Lent, Passion Week, and Easter, including the Call to Worship, Opening Responses, Confession and Assurance, Prayers for Illumination, the Lord's Supper, and Blessing/Benediction.

Reformed Worship magazine

Coop's Column

Center for Excellence in Preaching

Browse all resources related to Lent from our ministry partner, Center for Excellence in Preaching.